wagonized

Roy has kept me busy

I have been working on a special portrait for the past few evenings.  One of my students, whose Dad passed away earlier this year, asked me if I could draw him as a gift for her Mom.  I showed it to her today, and her response was a mix of smile, tears and thank yous.  I got all teary-eyed too.  Then I had to teach.

2B 0.9mm graphite on Canson paper.

 

Damien, could this be you?

I had not drawn a face with a pencil in a long time -- months perhaps.  The iPad has been my medium of choice lately, but I have missed the ease with which the lead slides on a piece of paper.  Frankly, it is easier for a portrait.  This is more or less an accidental one, since I saw a picture of singer/songwriter Damien Jurado on Facebook and I immediately wanted to practice drawing his face.  All I had at hand, paper-wise, was one of my AP students' journal -- hence the barcode at the bottom.  I used the mechanical pencil I carry in my purse -- it's a 2B lead in a comfortable Pentel holder.  Nothing fancy.  

Quizzes

My Freshman student Ben will be surprised to find out his quiz was my support for a random pencil drawing tonight.  HB lead in my Pentel mechanical pencil.

Original photograph by Itzick on Flickr.

Amelia

Here is the latest commission drawing that has taken up most of my evenings.  2B "fat" Cretacolor graphite on 9x12 Canson paper.

 

Late dog

Another commissioned drawing finished tonight.  I think dogs are my favorite subjects to draw.  2B "fat" Cretacolor graphite on Canson paper.

 

Smiles

I recently finished a commissioned drawing based on several pictures I got via e-mail.  2B pencil on 9x12 Canson paper.

 

Cartier-Bresson was in Iran

I have been searching for subjects to draw with a pencil, to get back in the pencil groove a bit.  My husband's classroom is always an excellent source of photographs -- so I borrowed a book by Cartier-Bresson.  I came upon a photograph of army men in Iran back in 1950 and one caught by eye.  So that's what I've been drawing for the past couple of evenings. Except I got tired and didn't quite finish.  #2 pencil on Xerox paper.

 

The Secret Garden

I am pretty proud to be, once again, part of the crew of people working on our school spring musical.  Oh, the talent of these kids!  Here's the official poster, which I finished earlier this week.  3B pencil and Photoshop for the dash of green :-) 

 

The stache

I had not drawn a face with a pencil in a while -- and again Flickr provided me with a perfect subject.  A man whose name I don't know, just a great smile, a great nose, a great mustache, great hair (though you have noticed I carefully avoided drawing too much of that).  B & HB pencils on all-purpose Xerox paper.  

 

Grappling

This is just an excerpt of a drawing I am making for the parents of a former student who just passed away.  She was a strikingly beautiful person and I am struggling to convey that with my graphite.